Canadian Immigration Minister Marc Miller recently expressed concerns about the escalating volume of international students in the country. According to Miller, the Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has apprehensions about the surging number of international students in Canada, pointing out that some provinces have failed to regulate this influx appropriately.
With over 800,000 international students in Canada in 2022, Miller projected that the number could escalate to 900,000 by the end of 2023. This is a substantial increase from a decade ago when there were only 275,000 international students in the country in 2012. The exponential growth in international student enrollment has prompted the minister to call for a comprehensive review of the existing system.
Education in Canada, including post-secondary education, falls under the jurisdiction of the provinces, giving them the authority to determine which schools can accept international students as Designated Learning Institutions (DLIs). Minister Miller emphasized that the DLI model in certain provinces is contributing to the significant rise in international students. He highlighted the need for a robust dialogue between the provinces and DLIs, particularly those entities deemed to be “profiting off the system.”
The minister’s comments have sparked discussions about the sustainability and regulation of international student enrollment in Canadian educational institutions. The concerns raised by Miller underscore the importance of establishing a balanced approach to accommodate international students while ensuring that the influx remains manageable and aligned with the capacity of the provinces to support them.
As discussions continue, it remains to be seen how the provinces and DLIs will address the challenges associated with the increasing number of international students. The matter is likely to stimulate further deliberations and policy developments aimed at creating a more sustainable and well-regulated system for international student enrollment in Canada.
